Weekend Birding: Backyard
It’s been a very busy past few days so there’s no featured bird this week. Instead I have a few shots of some of my regular backyard visitors.
The first is a female Red-bellied Woodpecker. She was busy exploring the apple tree, probably looking for insects to eat. If this were a male the top of the head would also be red. In females there is only a patch of red on the back of the head. The birds are named for the reddish tinge on their belly, but it’s often difficult to see.
Below is one of the Mourning Dove families that regularly visit my feeder. The parents are on the left and the youngster is on the right. The young dove’s feathers are edged in white giving them a scalloped look and it is slightly smaller in size.
Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce at At Home With Books. Visit her blog to see more great photos or add your own.
© 2012 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
Under My Apple Tree 
Your backyard visitors are gorgeous! I love mourning doves.
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I love seeing what new birds you introduce us to each week. It’s lovely to see the dove family out for a dinner together!
Here’s my Snapshot.
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Wow, such great captures…enjoy your wee kend♥
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Beautiful shots as usual.
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The three doves are especially wonderful! Gorgeous photos once again!
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What wonderful birds to have as frequent visitors. I didn’t get to see a woodpecker in America last year- I was disappointed not to. Maybe on the next trip? I find it extraordinary how birds are often named after their least conspicuous feature.
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Too bad you didn’t get to see one, we have quite a few species of them here.
There is also a Red-headed Woodpecker and both the males and females have dark red heads. Maybe that’s why this one is named for it’s belly.
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Well you know backdoor guests are best.
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Your bird photos are so enthralling. The birds are always captured at just the right moment. Here’s Mine
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Lovely photos. Great to have such interesting visitors.
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Wow, great bird photos! I especially like the woodpecker.
Sue
Book By Book
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I thought we had a nesting pair of mourning doves last summer but don’t recall seeing any off spring. Now I know what to look for. Always learn something when I visit here.
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Great shots of your visitors.
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Great shots — so close.
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I love love the birds in your backyard. My birds aren’t as exciting but I still love them!!
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How wonderful to see them right in your backyard. Did you take them with your 250mm lens? I look forward to seeing many more photos from you on birding.
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Yes, those were taken with the 250mm.
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You are very fortunate to have birds visit your backyard and enjoy them. Does the sound of the woodpecker bring excitement? I like the red color on the woodpecker. I have heard the wonderful call of morning dove before while waking in the morning.
Nice photos.
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I don’t hear the woodpeckers pounding on the trees that much but I do hear them calling to each other… and they are loud.
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Right, I have dug out my RSPB book on garden birds, I’m going to clean up the few feeders in the garden, treat myself to a bird table, and buy various bird food to see what I can attract (other than starlings and the dozy pigeon)… My Snapshot is at http://goo.gl/ZsnvZ
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Most birds like sunflower seeds although there are different mixes to attract certain species. I also put peanuts out to get the woodpeckers to stop by. Starlings, house sparrows and grackles will eat almost anything you put out so it’s difficult to discourage them.
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We’ve been seeing so many doves around our community lately that I’ve been wondering if someone is raising them. I’ve never seen this many in the area in previous years. Your dove photo is lovely by the way.
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I have a lot of doves this year too. There were ten of them roosting on my roof yesterday. Doves are prolific breeders and nest three or four times a year. That baby in the picture above was in my yard again today. Most birds are done with their nesting by now. They also have a high mortality rate being a favorite food of many predators and are also hunted in many states so it makes sense they breed a lot.
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My cats go nuts with those flappin Mourning Doves around the windows/feeder. Very cute shot.
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You always have such wonderful photos of birds, Leslie – and in your own backyard, no less. I look forward to your birding posts very much!
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